It was only a few days ago that Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners said that they would add 1 mb/d of supply back onto the market, with many of them acknowledging that, in reality, the figures would be closer to 600,000 bpd because of the inability of so many producers to ratchet up output.Russia a pivotal player in OPEC-led market stabilization effort

Companies appear to be holding back due to the limited growth potential of a domestic economy beset by a shrinking population. Uncertainty over the global economy as the U.S. pushes its "America-first" agenda is only adding to the reluctance to spend.

Simply put, the US Treasury market is now a centrally directed farce where supply and demand no longer determine prices or yields...as is the JGB market and European sovereign debt markets...and who knows how many more.

Recycling end-of-life wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries turns out to be very challenging. Owing to net energy decline — which will be aggravated by the low power density of renewables themselves — recycling costs are going to increase. Can recycling ever be profitable? -- RF

Seabirds are starving to death on the remote Lord Howe Island, a crew filming for the BBC One documentary Drowning in Plastic has revealed. Their stomachs were so full of plastic there was no room for food.

Having an area like this is becoming increasingly important as cities look to tech to help solve problems like congestion and pollution.

By "issues" I suppose they mean problems. Anyway, this is the same old "more people = more money" mindset at work. The idea of solving problems by having fewer people just never enters their minds. So we have more people and their wastes, and then count on hi tech to shove it all around more efficiently. -- RF

It's a fallacy to believe the US has a free market economy. The economy is run by a conglomerate of individuals and special interests, in and out of government, including the Deep State, which controls central economic planning.

The rounds used in China's railgun cost between $25,000 and $50,000 each, according to the intelligence assessment. Though not an exact comparison since the weapons have different technologies, the U.S. Navy's Tomahawk cruise missile has an estimated price tag of $1.4 million each.

However, the main meat of [Moon's] visit appeared to be economic – notably exploring the possibility of linking South Korea to the Russian Far East via pipelines, electricity grids and rail lines running through North Korea, and also commencing talks on a free-trade agreement (FTA).

Despite all the talk of reducing power use with technology and "decoupling" energy consumption from GDP growth, the trend is toward greater energy consumption. If more billions of humans are going to live the high life, if military forces are going to be using death rays and fighting in space, and if humanity is going to expand to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, be prepared to increase energy consumption exponentially. -- RF

The trial in Audi's hometown is meant to counter clogged city roads and unlock new growth potential for Germany's high-tech industry, the government's press office said Wednesday in an emailed statement.

Today the atrocity porn and Hitler memes that have been so useful in justifying regime change in other countries are being directed with increasing intensity against America's own duly elected president.
Getting rid of Trump isn't going to change a thing. The system itself is rotten. -- RF